Brom, Jock and Beast

Jock was home quite sick today. I am taking him to the Dr. tomorrow. We leave on Monday, so he is really missing a lot of school. We are pulling him out and HSing him again, so it doesn't matter that much. He doesn't know that yet though. So any of you who may talk to him in the meantime, please don't say anything to him. Stud and I need to tell him in our own way and we have it planned as to when that will be.

So here are CUTE pictures of Brom sleeping with him today. Jock slept most of the day and has the seal bark cough. Don't think it IS Croup, but I will take him in anyway. If he is sick for this tournament, we will be REALLY bummed!

Another thing to note happened today. Clown found this costume I got him for about $7 during the sales in November. He tried this on and was annoyed that his hair got in the way. So he asked me to shave his head. I don't know if it is just me because I gave birth to him, but I think he is pretty darn good looking!

Enjoy!

Lots going on

Well, things have been incredibly chaotic around here the past few weeks. Even more so than usual.

I will just list the main things that have been going on ~

Cryptic is going to Tae Kwon Do more regularly, which is great! He took TKD off and on for about a year when he was around four or five, when we lived in SC. It took this many years for Stud to sign him up again!! Cryptic kept on asking and asking and Stud would forget to look into it. When I would mention taking care of it myself, he kept on saying that I didn't know the good places and not to do it, he would do it. Finally, when he was looking into it, we found out that Cryptic needed surgery last February. So we had to wait until after Cryptic's surgery and for him to recover and all that jazz. He got everything all set up this past fall. He enjoys it but is of course a bit annoyed that he is in a class with tiny little kids. There are a few kids closer to his age, so that helps. He has also greatly improved in getting himself out of bed and to school on time. He and I do devotions together and he really looks forward to that. That is the main reason he gets out of bed, is to do the devotions. So I am glad of that, of course. He prefers me to do them with him, and not just do it on his own. So I won't complain about that! He won some spelling bee for his grade level a few months back and was going to go on to the next level or whatever, but he says no one has updated him so he is not sure what is going on with that.

Jock is...as always, Jock! LOL I need to read more about the strong-willed child. He is keeping busy with hockey and all the practises preparing for the tournament in Edmonton next week. We leave in six days. He gets up twice a week at 5 am to go play hockey with his Dad and a bunch of others. He somehow worked it so that he has his first "job". He helps serve food at lunch at school and when he is done and takes off his hair net and gloves, he gets to eat anything he wants and as much of it as he wants. The main thing he likes about Public School (really the ONLY thing he says he likes about it) is the lunch, apparently it is very good. They have a large variety of foods and he is very pleased to have as much of it as he wants. He is definitely going through a spurt. He is eating non-stop. I have heard of teens that do this and have witnessed it before. Cryptic still has not hit that stage and Jock has always been a better eater anyway. It is nice to see a healthy appetite!

He "forgot" about a band concert he had last Wednesday and when I picked him up from school after his rock climbing field trip he only had 45 minutes to go home, eat and change and get his Sax to the school and help set up. I had to get Cryptic from TKD, somehow get kids fed and change and rush to the concert also. Stud had spent almost three hours gone at the gym that day, so needed to work and could not help me. Was pretty crazy!

Clown is now taking an art class in Bellevue. It is awesome and I am amazed and thrilled to have found something that will entice him out of the house once a week. It is Tuesdays from 10:30 to noon. Today they did a still life of fruit with chalk pastels on coloured paper. Last week was a rainforest bird with oil pastels and water colour on top of that. I wanted to bring it home today and post a photo of it on here, but his teacher wanted to keep it until next week because she wanted to display it and get photos of it. Sadly, we won't get it for a few weeks, since we will be gone. We won't see her until summer either, since she is going to have her first baby any week now and is going on maternity leave. Found out today she is FROM Edmonton and was very excited that we are going there!!! We were visiting for a while and talking about how we will never give up our Canadian Citizenhip, I asked about the baby, etc. When we left, Clown said, "So she is pregnant?? I WONDERED what that lump on her stomach was!?!?!?"

Princess is BUSY. Stud is trying to get her out skating more, since she starts hockey in the fall. She is playing soccer and is psyched to sign up for T-Ball when soccer is done. Of course she does ballet and tap and is talking of starting hip hop when she is older. I don't think she will be old enough this next coming fall. She also wants to start violin lessons and get back into swimming lessons! I will let her take these same art lessons that Clown is taking, once she is finished with public school and can attend the homeschool classes with him. She is our busy one! We need to limit it of course and pace ourselves.

This next week/weekend we have an allergist appointment for Cryptic, his TKD belt testing (FINALLY, possibly more on that later), four or so hockey practises for Jock, soccer pictures, two games, a practise, dance lessons and a birthday party for Princess. The same birthday party for Clown, packing for Canada, keeping the house clean, getting last minute things done for the care of the dog, mice and cats, and I think that is most of it!! *whew* Nothing major, you know.

I will close with a photo of Clown in art class today, as well as a cute photo I found of the four kids when Princess was a few weeks old. I will do what I ADORE doing and compare that one with one I just now took of them as I was posting this:) I just love to see how they have changed!

Inevitable and Encouraging

So I was lazy this morning and did not get up and go to Curves.

I got up later and did devotions with Cryptic as he has requested. We had a nice time, this mornings was very convicting. We had just finished praying and I had hugged he and Jock good bye and told them to have a great day. They were doing last minute leaving for school preparations in the kitchen when I told them I loved them and to be sure and walk to school together.

Just as I got back in bed with Stud and was snuggling up to him, we heard massive noise, yelling and thumping against cabinets. Lately Jock has this thing he loves to do. He asks, "You want me to BEAT YOU!?!?!" A friend of his says it in a funny way and they all get a kick out of it. He now says it many times a day and we heard him say that in the process of all the commotion. This confused me, since it is a playful thing and the rest of the noise sounded serious.

I jumped out of bed to check into it and as I came out of the room, I saw Jock shaking and crying and backing away from Cryptic with a very scared look on his face. Cryptic was still in the kitchen and was staying far away, with poor little Brom in between them barking his fool head off, running back and forth between them looking very confused and worried. They were still screaming at each other and poor Princess was now awake. Her room is right off the kitchen and Stud and I's is around the other corner. Not the best planning, but I guess it worked for the woman who built the house.

Anyway, what happened seems to be what we have been waiting for. We knew one day, Cryptic would stand up to Jock and let him know who was stronger and that he was not messing around anymore. They fight physically sometimes and Cryptic always backs off and gets control first and tries to sort it out without fists. Jock has it in his head that he is stronger and can prevail over Cryptic if need be. By the look on his face this morning, I know Cryptic made it clear that he better watch himself from now on. He had a few red marks on his neck (from Cryptic's hands) and a scratch that was bleeding quite a bit. Cryptic was slightly teary, not frantic as Jock was and kept repeating something about Jock watching out for himself, he is done fooling around and he better look out.

So that was an interesting start to the day. I told Stud what happened and he said good for Cryptic. It is about time. Various doctors have always told us this day would come and some have even suggested encouraging it, to put Jock in his place and have Cryptic feel a bit better about himself. Just because Cryptic is scrawny, Jock assumed (until today!) that he is stronger. He plays hockey, is constantly outside skateboarding, riding his bike, swimming at school, and has more defined looking muscles, etc. Well, he saw the light today, man! I don't feel the slightest bit bad for him. I hope that doesn't make me a bad mother, but I am sick of his attitude and glad that his big brother is finally doing something other than just yelling at him.

What set it off was as I walked away, Cryptic was playing a song on glasses of water that he was to take to school for his Science Project this morning. He was perfecting it before he left. I reminded him to wrap them good so they would not break when he transported them to and from school. Jock asked why they would possibly break. He constantly asks ridiculous questions like that. Often, if we ignore him, he takes a few seconds to think and comes up with the correct answer on his own. So I ignored him and went to bed. I found out later that Cryptic sighed and shook his head. Which caused Jock to tell him he is ugly. Which set him off and the beating began.

As to the encouraging thing from the title of this post. I will close with a quote from Princess overheard today. Cryptic needs this computer for some homework.

Today Clown, Princess and I were walking from the grocery store to the car. Princess was being Princess. That means skipping along like little girls do and singing. She wasn't paying close attention to the traffic, as usual. I was about to say something, when Clown did it for me. Although, he uses quite a different approach than what I usually do.

"Princess! What has Mum ALWAYS TOLD US!?!? Watch where you are going! Stop flitting about! Man! Do you want to get your butt splattered all over this parking lot!?!?"

She slowed down and looked sad and said quietly, "Clown...that is NOT very encouraging."

Butterfly in a Winter Wonderland!

Time for some photos. I have a long-winded post started that I may have time to edit later and have it make more sense and be a bit nicer of a read. I can't make any promises though!!

Until then, I wanted to post some pictures of the fun times in the recent snow and finally unveil my new body art!

Where to begin??

Sorry to have been so scarce. Been spending a lot of time trying to de-clutter the house and organise things.

Lots has been going on. Yesterday morning as I was walking back from Curves, moisture was hitting my face. It was not rain, but not snow. Seems like it was trying to decide if it was going to sleet or hail. I was all happy and grinning the entire walk home. I was happy for varying reasons.

I had finally hauled my fat butt out of bed and gone to Curves for the first time in over a week.

The idea of snow or anything close to it always makes me incredibly peaceful and happy.

So, I got home, showered and loaded up wee Brommy to take him to the Vet for his castration. Poor guy, but it must be done, right???


I had set out clothes for Princess and Stud was left in charge of getting her to school. I had been too tired the night before to help her count out 100 chocolate chips to take for yesterday. Today is their 100th day of school and they were to count out 100 snack items and were planning on making a snack mix with all of the donated items. Which confuses me since we are not allowed to bake home made items or take unwrapped candy or anything, but we can take loose goldfish crackers, raisins, chocolate chips, etc?? Seems pretty illogical to me.

So Stud was to help her count those out and get her off to school, since I would be taking the boys to school on my way to drop Brom off. Then I needed to get some groceries since I was near the grocery store anyway.


I drove Jock and Cryptic to school and then took my little boy to the place where his "doghood" as Cryptic calls it, was to be torn from him. I took him back and got him settled in his little cage. I also gave them his ear ointment. He had an ear infection a few weeks ago. I had been instructed to put ointment in his ears once a day and gently pluck his ear hairs, little by little. I never even attempted to pluck the ear hair, it was an absolute fiasco just to get any ointment in his ear. The Vet demonstrated for me when I was there and Brom sat and let him do it. Totally different story at home. He goes out of his mind, BERSERK. So I knew that I was most likely not getting enough in there and had given up fighting with him, that he likely still had the infection and asked them to put the ointment in while he was under for the surgery, as well as pluck some of his ear hair. I left him with his blanky and favourite stuffed toy to chew on and was really upset at the thought of him being there all alone and sad, whining and whimpering and not understanding what was happening to him:(


Then it was off to the grocery store for some groceries. I started talking to a woman in the pudding aisle. We ended up talking for half an hour! She just moved here from Florida in August and we talked about home schooling (she has her kids in private school, says there is no way they will ever attend public) and our kids and their interests, weather in the south and how I can't stand it, etc. Her daughter takes dance at the same place as Princess, but the reason we have never met is that even though her daughter takes three different dance classes, she is never there on a day that Princess is. We agreed that perhaps we will see each other at the Spring recital. Her kids are in the local Theatre and I have been thinking of getting Jock and Princess in there. I am glad I spoke with her, she couldn't say enough good about this group. Her kids have always done theatre, but of all the places they have done it, she said this particular one was the best, most organised and well run, etc.

Back home to unload the groceries and discover that our little Clown had finally emerged from bed and was getting himself some breakfast. He helped me put groceries away and then it was time to get Princess from school. We had lunch and she opted to stay home with her Dad and watch a movie while he worked, while Clown and I went for essentials at Target.

I LOVE shopping with this child. He and Cryptic are so similar in many ways. One of them is the fact that they save money very well. This child is 7 years old and has had almost $70 cash in his wallet for the past few months. The reason he got dressed and ventured out of the house was because I was going to buy him a $15 gameboy game and he wanted to be there to choose it.

Princess wanted one, since she doesn't have any truly girl ones. Problem is, she has no money. I suggested she use her bonus points that they earn for good behaviour. When we went to look at the chart, she discovered that she has under 100 points (new gameboy games cost 400) and Clown had almost 500! LOL He saves those very well too. She spends them on various privileges that they choose out of the "Pick a Privilege" container. So she had spent most of her well earned points. Once she realised that it will be a long time before she can afford a new game, she decided to stay home and do one of her favourite things ~ watch a movie. She and Cryptic would sit in front of movies all day long if allowed.

Anyway, once at the store, Clown discovered some shirts that he liked. I was buying Cryptic some new jeans (he is finally growing and is now about an inch taller than me. His waist is about that of an average eight year old, but his height in the pants is a size 16. ) This poses a huge problem! So I was searching for jeans and new trunks for swimming at school in PE class. We recently discovered that his new trunks from last year are WAY too small. This is hard to get used to. This child used to wear the same clothes for three years running and I could not understand when people said they cannot keep their kids in clothes. Like the Doctors always told us, he is finally catching up. I found a new shirt for Cryptic and a cool one I knew Jock would LOVE. So I told Clown I would buy him a new shirt too.

Well, this turned into a twenty minute ordeal. He LOVED the dragon one that I chose for Cryptic, but also wanted one that said "I love video games". I told him I would buy one and to chose. He finally decided that he would get them both and he would pay for one himself. Fine, off we went to look for light bulbs for Cryptic's Lava Lamp.

On the way, the word "Beethoven" caught his eye. He has always been interested in pianos and wanted to have one and learn to play. Even though Stud's mother is a pianist and taught in their home all during his childhood and he and all his siblings play, he has no interest in encouraging this in our children. Clown has begged and asked for his own miniature piano for years. I found one online this Christmas but Stud would not let me buy it.

So what he had seen was the CD sampler thing. He wanted to listen to Beethoven. So he pressed the button and once the music started, he got this precious look in his eyes. Like total rapture or something. He just loves this stuff. We ended up standing there for THIRTY MINUTES, listening to various CDs. I told him I would buy one and to try and narrow it down. He ended up loving the Celtic ones and could not decide between "Celtic Flutes", "Celtic Passion" or "Celtic Hymns". He finally settled on "Celtic Passion" and of course we found out that they were out of that one. We ended up purchasing "Celtic Hymns". You can tell he is Irish/Scottish. He LOVES this stuff and can't get enough of bagpipes. That's MY BOY!

Finally, I was able to pull him away from that and we went to the video game section. I told him 400 points would get him a $15 game and I was not buying a $30 game. The only one he wanted was $30, so he decided to buy it himself and save his points for other treats at a later date.

Then we were off for cereal, canned goods, etc. I told him to choose a treat for he and his siblings. We have a large bowl in this one cabinet in which we store granola bars, fruit snacks, and the like. Sometimes we get Little Debbie cakes, and things as a treat. I told him to choose one of those. He decided that he wanted a particular kind. He put it in the cart and then he was choosing "Sweet Cereal". We get some gooey cereal that they are only allowed to eat on Weekend mornings. We had been out for a while and it was time to get more. He was thrilled to see "Fruity Pebbles". He put them in the cart and as we made our way down the aisles to look at the Easter stuff, he suddenly stopped.

"Wait a minute. How much was that bigger box of 'Fruity Pebbles'?? Is that a good buy?? I can't remember, how many ounces it was. We need to go back and see, Mum."

So off we went as he calculated in his head if we were saving money with the cereal he chose. I loved watching as he worked out in his mind and came to the conclusion that it was about the same. Then he took the snack cakes out of the cart and put them back. I asked what he was doing and he said we didn't need those, it was fine. We have enough junky cereal, we don't need those cakes also.

Then as we got to the check-out, he asked which shirt he had to pay for. He pointed out that one was on sale and I could pay for that one and he would buy the regular priced one. I told him that the ones I was buying his older brothers were the same price as his regular priced one, thanks anyway but he can just buy the sale priced one. He asked if I was sure, and I said of course, I am the parent and I have more money anyway. He is SUCH A HOOT! I just loved that time with just him:) We must have taken two hours in that store and it was such a nice time, especially for people like us, who hate shopping! LOL

So, we went on to the Pet Store where the groomers are and made an appointment for Brom to get groomed in a few weeks, after his incision heals. We chose him some toys for being so brave. It was snowing and sticking to the ground by then, looking very pretty.

I dropped Clown at home and walked to the school to pick Jock up. He was nowhere to be found. Cryptic was mad because I made him go back to his locker and get the winter coat that he stores there, instead of wearing. So he shoved that on in a mad frenzy and ran home. I went to the office to have them page Jock. Normally if he is paged, he shows up within a minute or two. Ten minutes later, he was still not around. I was not sure what to do. I called home and Stud said Cryptic was home, Jock was not. I went home and called his friend K's house. His grandmother answered. They are from India and this poor woman doesn't speak English very well. I knew the only words she would recognise were her grandchildren's names. So I said them and she just said their names and then "school" after. Meaning they were still at school. Not much help.

I was late to get Brom, still had not unloaded the car from shopping and had to leave. I asked Cryptic to get Princess ready for dance class, feed her something, etc. So I got to the Vet's and they charged me $274 for this?!?!?! I am SO LIVID. This is the thing that gets me, though.

They charged $14 to pluck his ear hair and then the woman says something about how we shouldn't do that and it is not necesaary!?!? Then why did YOU GUYS tell me to do it!?!? And why did you do it, if you don't think we should!?!?!?? And why charge me for it anyway? The puppy was out of it, under anesthsia, can't you take 20 seconds and pull some hair out of his ears??? RETARDS. I am so looking for a new vet.

By this time, I had begged Stud to go look for Jock. He calls me and says Jock was at school, in the home-ec room, making cupcakes!?!?!?! WTH!?!?!? The teacher said there were 30 kids in there, it was loud, they did not hear the page from earlier. Well, I wonder if you could think to ask the kids if they have permission to even be there!?!?

That kid is truly UNREAL. When he pulled that crap a few weeks back, we made clear that he CANNOT stay after school again and we set up a place that he is to meet me EVERY DAY immediately when he is dismissed. When I met him on Tuesday, he had the nerve to start begging and ask if he can PLEASE stay and play a bit of football?? I reminded him that he can't stay for anything, NOT to ask again and not to be late when I am there to meet him, I have enough to do and am not pleased that I have to drop everything to be there to walk him home from school. He grumbled a bit and dropped it.

So then he pulled this junk yesterday and had the NERVE to act shocked and wonder why he is being punished YET AGAIN. He claims he didn't hear any of this news before and had no idea about any of it!!!!!!!*sigh* He has also tried acting amazed and "out of the loop" when we reminded him that he is not going on the band trip? Read the February 4th post titled "Exhausted" if you do not know what I am talking about. The nerve of this kid!

Stud said he thinks he is brain damaged. I reminded him it is called "selective memory" and "selective hearing" and that they both have it! Jock does totally get it from his Dad. Truly, and no offense to Stud, it is just a fact. They are both just incredible at convincing themselves that something did not happen or was not said. It causes quite a bit of problems, obviously.

I won't continue with the rest of the day, this has taken long enough and people are wanting lunch. Obviously, the kids are home from school today because of the snow. I will save this and add to it later!

Ok it is now later at night and I want to get this posted. I already put out some photos from last night. Poor Brom had to go to the bathroom, but I was worried about his incision. We had no choice and had to take him out in it.

He LOVED the snow and we got a few seconds of video of him running all through it, it was SO CUTE! Then we realised that he was forming small snowballs in his fur and we had to put him in a bath with warm water to melt those off, then use the blow dryer and set him on a blanket on the heating pad. Every time we took him out last night, this happened and back into the bath tub he went. He was getting tired of it and honestly so was I. Man did he look cute out there bounding through the snow!!

LM, I just got the comment from you about him not looking happy about his coat of snow! LOL How right you are!

There is so much more to share, so much going on. Jock got a job working in the kitchen at school, Cryptic wants to quit school (well, actually all of the one who atrend are wanting to quit) on and on it goes. Of course I can't share everything and this is long enough anyway.

I will close for now, since I will be amazed if anyone even read to the end anyway:) Hopefully I will update this a little more often in the future! I really want to do a post dedicated to our Brommy Baby soon:)

Peace out!